These papers document the Los Angeles based political activities of former husband and wife (Michael and Anne Kaufman), including
their joint involvement with W.E.B. DuBois Clubs of America (1961-1966) and American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees [AFSCME, AFL-CIO] (1969 to 1980). Anne Kaufman was later active in the National Rainbow Coalition and 24th Congressional
District (1987-1990). Only a small amount of personal information is found in the collection.

Background

Anne Levine Kaufman is a teacher and long-time Los Angeles resident. Michael Kaufman is a former Los Angeles area resident,
a computer programmer who currently (2001) lives in Northern California. They were both active in the Los Angeles chapters
of W.E.B. DuBois Clubs of America when they met and married in the mid 1960s. Anne Kaufman attended the 1964 founding convention
for the clubs in Chicago, and served as Executive Secretary for the Los Angeles DuBois Clubs. Michael Kaufman served on the
organization's Education Committee. The W.E.B. DuBois Clubs of America (DBC) was a nationwide Socialist oriented youth organization founded in San Francisco in
June 1964. The preamble to their constitution states: "It is our belief that this nation can best solve its problems in an
atmosphere of peaceful coexistence, complete disarmament, and true freedom for all peoples of the world, and that these solutions
will be reached mainly through the united efforts of the working people allied in the unity of Negroes and other minorities
with whites. We further fully recognize that the greatest threat to the American democracy comes from the racist and right-wing
forces in coalition with the most reactionary elements of the economic power structure, using the tool of anti-communism to
divide and destroy the unified strength of the working people." The DBC actively supported various political and social causes
including protesting the Vietnam War, the draft, police brutality, poverty and championing the United Farm Workers strikes,
community and campus organizing, and promoting the teaching of black history. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) represents employees of any state and local governmental
agency, quasi-public agency, or non-profit agencies of public, charitable, educational or civic nature. AFSCME was founded
in 1934 as an affiliate of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) under the American Federation of Labor (AFL).
AFSCME quickly became a separate entity but grew slowly until the 1950s. In the 1960s, new leadership focused the union's
efforts on winning collective bargaining rights. In 1975, AFSCME had become the 6th largest affiliate of the AFL-CIO.Founded in 1984 by Jesse Jackson and born out of the historic "Jesse Jackson for President" campaigns in 1984 and 1988, the
National Rainbow Coalition is a grassroots organization dedicated to building a future for people of all colors and origins
("rainbow") to have a decent place to live, enough to eat, good medical care, quality education, satisfying work, sufficient
income, and where peace and justice will be secure throughout the world.

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